ISAC MAP Grant

Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) MAP Grant (Monetary Award Program)

Postsecondary institutions approved to award MAP grants are those that offer a program of collegiate study directly applicable toward the attainment of an associate or baccalaureate degree, or a program yielding a certificate, diploma, or associate degree in health education. For eligible institutions with campuses in multiple states, only campuses located in Illinois are eligible to award MAP grants.

Students must be residents of Illinois. Eligibility is based on State Requirements. Click here for more information about Map Grant eligibility.

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Eligibility

To receive a MAP grant, a student must:

• be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen (FSA Handbook, Volume 1 Chapter 2) or meet the “undocumented student” criteria of the RISE Act;
• be a resident of Illinois (if the applicant is a dependent, the parent whose information is used on the FAFSA must be an Illinois resident);
• demonstrate financial need;
• be enrolled a minimum of three credit hours in a degree or certificate program at an approved Illinois college, for either a semester or quarter term throughout the institution’s tuition refund/withdrawal adjustment period (effective July 1, 2022 for the 2022-23 academic year: includes credit bearing certificate programs that are offered at public institutions and are less than one academic year in length – further details are provided in the MAP Certificate Programs document);
• be an undergraduate student who has not received a baccalaureate degree (graduate students are not eligible for MAP assistance);
• maintain the satisfactory academic progress standards of the institution (the institution must certify that the student has met its satisfactory academic progress standards at the time MAP payment is requested);
• not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant or scholarship. Students in default may reestablish MAP eligibility by:
• repaying the debt in full;
• making satisfactory payment arrangements with the holder of the loan;
• rehabilitating the defaulted loan(s); or
• making payments on the defaulted loan(s) to consolidate the loan(s)
• not be incarcerated; and
• not have exceeded the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours of MAP benefits paid. Eligibility may be extended for one additional term if the recipient has accumulated fewer than 135 MAP Paid Credit Hours, but does not have enough credit hours of payment remaining for the number of hours for which he/she is enrolled for the term.

How to Apply

FAFSA filing required - University preferred FAFSA filing deadline is Dec 1. The official MAP Grant deadline is determined by the State of Illinois. File the FAFSA as soon as possible after Oct 1.